Robertson's influences on the guitar include the likes of Jimi Hendrix, Steve Vai, Randy Rhoads, Vivian Campbell , Eddie Van Halen, Joe Satriani, Angus Young, Eric Clapton, and Stevie Ray Vaughn, As well as other contemporaries of his like Zakk Wylde and many others.
His musical influences in general included AC/DC, The Beatles, Deep Purple, Black Sabbath, Dio (of course), Ozzy Osbourne, The Police, Cream, Led Zeppelin and many others.
In The Late 80's Robertson heard that Dio was looking for a new guitarist. He sent a tape to the record company phonogram. After six months of waiting, he got a reply that stated that at that moment they were not interested in him. After which, the tenacious Robertson then contacted the Dio Fan Club who then asked him to send his demo tape to them.
Robertson got a great response from Dio after receiving the demo through the fan club channels. In late January or early February 1989 Robertson was flown to Los Angeles for an audition with Dio. He was auditioned twice. Immediately after the second audition he was invited to join the band. The press-release for the addition of Robertson to Dio was sent out on July 18th, 1989 and the press was invited to meet the newest Dio guitarist on July 20, 1989 at Oliver's Pub in New York City.
The first Dio album Robertson started working on with Dio was Lock up the Wolves. These sessions included Jimmy Bain, Vinny Appice and Jens Johansson. The band had already begun writing and recording when Jimmy Bain and Vinny Appice were suddenly excused from the band. They were replaced with Teddy Cook and former AC/DC drummer Simon Wright. Recordings do exist from the sessions with Bain and Appice but were never released. Lock up the Wolves was released in 1990, and the band embarked on a tour in support of the album.
 Robertson stayed with Dio until Ronnie James Dio rejoined Black Sabbath in 1991. Dio and Robertson had been writing songs for an album to be released in May 1991 which ended up being shelved. When the Dio band was put on ice, Robertson started work on an instructional video for guitar players. It was released on Star Licks, in July or August 1991. He then teamed up with vocalist Oni Logan (ex Lynch Mob) and drummer Jimmy Paxson (ex Triangle) and began to write and record on an album together for Atlantic Records.
In April 2005 Robertson embarked in a short West Coast tour with his then band titled Happy Birthday, supporting Jimmy Chamberlin's band, The Jimmy Chamberlin Complex.
Robertson was also working with a Finnish bassist/composer Marko Pukkila in 2005 on a possible new hard rock band. The band was set to be called Wicked Outlaw. They had been looking for the right combination of musicians and could plan to tour the U.S and release an album if the right band is put together. Robertson also worked with Pukkila in 2005 performing on tracks for a David Lee Roth Tribute Album Titled "Just Like Paradise: A Tribute To Diamond David Lee Roth". Robertson also worked with former bandmate, drummer Vinny Appice on this album.
Robertson joined Armored Saint/Odin Guitarist, Jeff Duncan along with Brothers, Shawn Duncan (Odin), and Matt Duncan in the band DC4 in late 2006. Rowan has been actively writing, recording, and touring with DC4 since. DC4 was signed to Chavis Records in 2008. Their 2007 self released album (with Robertson) titled EXPLODE, is expected to be re-released on the Chavis Records Label in early 2009. The re-released album will contain new artwork, new packaging, a video, and two brand new bonus tracks. Many shows and festivals are already being booked for DC4 in 2009.
 Rowan also became acquainted with former RATT bassist Juan Croucier in late 2008. The pair have been jamming together and may work on a project together in the future.
2008 also saw Rowan return to his native England to lend his talents to the soundtrack and music video for an upcoming independent motion picture titled, "Dirty Step Upstage". Slated for a 2009 release and directed by, Amber Moelter and Abner J. Pastoll.
Rowan Robertson has begun working on a project in January, 2009 which he will lend his guitar and teaching talents to a new cutting edge website that will offer on-line guitar lessons from top name industry musicians. Stay tuned for all of the details of that coming real soon.
Rowan also currently gives private guitar lessons in Los Angeles, Ca. If you live in or near the Los Angeles area, and are interested in taking lessons from Rowan. You can contact him via message on this page to make arrangements.
ROWAN ROBERTSON'S BANDS
Dio (1989-1991)
Violet's Demise (1991-1995)
VAST (1998-2000)
AM Radio (2001-2004,2006)
Logan/Robertson (2001)
Happy Birthday (2005)
Wicked Outlaw (2005-)
DC4 (2006-Present)
ROWAN ROBERTSON'S DISCOGRAPHY
*Click Album Covers To Purchase And For Descriptions.
Dio- Lock up the Wolves- 1990
Dio- Diamonds :Best Of Dio- 1991
Dio- Master Series- 1998
VAST- Music For The People- 2000
Dio- The Very Beast Of Dio- 2000
Dio- Anthology Vol Two- 2001
Logan/Robertson- Revisited- 2001
AM Radio- AM Radio- 2001
Dio- Anthology - Stand Up And Shout- 2003
AM Radio- Radioactive- 2003
Dio- The Collection- 2003
Just Like Paradise:
A Tribute To Diamond David Lee Roth-2005
DC4- Explode (Limited Edition)- 2007
Metal Edge- Compilation 2008
DC4-Explode (Re-Release)-2009
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With a couple of weeks of talking and planning gone by, there was only one guitarist that would be willing and able to kick Cleveland in the ass with us, and the only one we would consider sharing the stage with that was DARK SECLUSION. We gave him a call and the first thing he asked "when and where", so with DARK SECLUSION on board our next mission was to find a drummer.
We needed a drummer that could handle music with intense double kick, odd time signatures and many changes throughout. So the search began and it wasn't until Feburary, with all options exhausted, J.C.B. called Bongo from Clevelands own THIRD UNION, and it so happened their original drummer was back in the line up. So he made a call and with in a week CHAOS was our new drummer.
With one void in the line up to fill, we needed a solid and versatile bassist, J.C.B. made a call to a multi-instrumentalist he knew, and asked ADDIKT if he would consider playing bass in our new project. ADDIKT replied as long as we were creating music that was evil and destroying Christianity, he was in... So by mid Feburary 2008, the band was complete and ready to rise from the bowels of HELL and kick the music scene right in the face. So after a very successful start we ran into our first roadblock, our bassist ADDIKT told us he was moving to CA., so July of 2008, the start for a new bassist began not knowing there was one right in front of us. Our head of the DEMON CREW and lighting tech, DEMIZE, wanted the gig, so he jumped right in and went out and bought a Dean 5 string bass, and Hartke 4x10 cabinet, and a Behringer amp, and he was ready to go by Friday August 22nd his debut show at The Cleveland Agora and solidified our lineup once again......
After our August 22nd show, the band decided to take some time off, to write some new material. During this time our original drummer CHAOS and DEMONS WITIHN have parted ways. So we started the search for our new drummer, we ran across a drummer who had worked with Clevelands own PKS and he had seen DEMONS WITHIN at our debut show back in May at The Agora and said " fuck yeah " I would like to drum for the DEMONS, with that being said, RETRIBUTION, has been working very hard on our exsiting songs and we have wrote a new song along the way, with a couple more that are in the first stages. We will be back in early 2009 with our new drummer, new material, a new photo shoot and I have one more twisted and evil plan up my tattooed sleeves, so be ready Cleveland this will kick your ass. HORNS HIGH and we will be back stronger and heavier than before.
Our 2009 started off with a bang we booked three shows: Saturday January 31st at Skully Jaxx. Saturday February 28th at The Roc Bar, and Saturday March 28th at The Cove. My twisted evil change to the line up was the addition of SARRIS a female death metal vocalist, SARRIS made her debut at our January 31st show and it was fucking awesome, so now that the lineup is complete, the Chaos and Carnage will continue in 2009, with more local and out of state shows, new merch and a full length CD from the DEMONS. |
J.C.B. - Lead Vocals
Sarris - Lead Vocals
T.C. - Lead & Rhythm Guitar, Backing Vocals
DARK SECLUSION - Lead & Rhythm Guitar
DEMIZE - Bass, Backing Vocals
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